As the annual negotiations to set fishing quotas for next year approach, Oceana urges Ministers not to dodge the difficult decisions that need to be made in order to prevent the collapse of many stocks. In advance of the Fisheries Council meeting, the European Commission has tabled a timid set of proposals for 2006 quotas, calling it a “gradual approach”, no doubt anticipating the usual reluctance of Ministers to face the crisis and accept scientific advice which could lead to reductions in fishing activity unpopular at home.
“As stocks continue to struggle, and species such as cod, hake, anchovy, rays and sharks are threatened, now is not the time for timidness by our decision makers,” said Xavier Pastor, the fisheries biologist and Director of Oceana Europe
Although a number of the TACs proposed by the Commission follow scientific advice, there are some alarming cases where the advice is not heeded and far higher catches are proposed, especially for some of the most vulnerable and “politically sensitive” species, including cod and hake. In these cases the Ministers need to show leadership and agree catch limits that will ensure the survival and eventual recovery of these stocks.
Oceana has analysed the Commission’s proposals and compared them to the scientific advice from ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea), an independent scientific body that provides official advice to the European Commission and which involves many prestigious researchers working with scientific bodies of the North Atlantic countries, including Spain: “European Commission Proposals on TACS in relation to Scientific Advice”.(ICES Fishing Areas Map)
Oceana welcomes the Commission’s proposal to close the “rasco” gillnet fishery in the North East Atlantic, which is also on the table at the Council meeting next week.
“The decision to close this fishery should be a simple one for Ministers to make. There is absolutely no excuse to allow such a wasteful and harmful fishery to continue,”said Julie Cator, Policy Director for Oceana Europe, based in Brussels.
